How to Be a Proper Guest in a Restaurant

Being a good guest is part politeness, part great conversation, and mostly enthusiasm.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Etiquette Book

1. Inquire about the restaurant. Is it fancy or informal? Small and intimate or huge and boisterous? Dress for the occasion so you'll be comfortable and at ease. If you have special dietary needs (you're a vegetarian, you're allergic to garlic, and so on), inform your host well in advance.

2. Make sure you understand the financial situation: is the host treating? Is a group paying for a friend with a birthday? Have money on your person regardless.

3. Wait in the entry if you arrive first.

4. Pretend you like the food, even if you don't. No matter what the menu, there's bound to be some dish you can get down.

5. Be sensible. Don't eat something that tends to make you feel ill afterwards.

6. Be flexible. If it's a family-style feast and you hate to share your food, smile and make yourself a plate.

7. When eating, try to keep pace with everyone else, and take some time to speak to your neighbors. Give all your table partners equal attention, if possible.

8. Pull out those table manners. Bone up if you don't know them, and use them if you do.

9. Be moderate in all you do: drinking, eating, laughing, talking and chewing.

10. Thank everyone before you go.

11. Tip the parking valet and the coat check folks on your own.

Tips & Warnings

• If possible, get the host to order first. Then order something right around the same price range.
• If your host has a drink, feel free to order one too. The same goes for other courses, appetizers and desserts.
• You can always offer to pay for the wine, the tip or a round of cocktails.
• Don't order either the most expensive or least expensive items.
• Don't apply makeup at the dinner table; powdering one's nose, however, is acceptable.
• Don't pick up a dropped utensil; simply ask your server for a new one.
• It's considered rude to table hop, but of course, greet your friends spotted at another table.

[turdball]

on 8/7/2008 Your a guest of the hostess. If you are not very hungry then order just enough to eat and to be sociable. DON'T order food that you can not eat with your hostess. Ordering food that you know that you can not eat with the hostess is RUDE!!!!!!!!!! and ordering it and taking it home is an insult to the hostess!!!!

on 8/8/2006 Don't camp the table for very long after you've finished and paid. Your waiter isn't making any money while you sit there and hog the table. Go to the bar to continue the evening, or tip the waiter extra for blocking their table.

on 11/22/2005 Try not to order foods that are likely to get on your clothes or fly off the plate. Spaghetti and fettuccine tend to flick their sauces right in the middle of your chest. Muscles in the shell like to slide around and hop off of your plate.

on 11/22/2005 If you have children, do not allow them to leave the table unless they have to use the restroom (you should always accompany them). A restaurant is not a playground. Children running around a restaurant disturbs other diners. Waiters may be carrying hot dishes, and children running about their feet presents a danger to themselves and to others.

on 11/22/2005 Do not bring up politics, religion or any controversial issues while dining!